THE STORM BEFORE THE CALM; MICHAEL JOSEPH WILL GET KQ OUT OF THE HANGAR

An almost deserted domestic terminal, half empty embraers, leased Boeings and Dreamliners, threats of workers strikes, and impromptu flight cancellations is what has become its identity today.

A company that was at one time Africa’s leading airline, and a flying symbol of Kenyan successful management story, through its catchy tagline, “The pride of Africa”, is dangerously ‘flying low’.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has endured four gory years of massive losses as a result of a poorly timed expansion strategy, and institutionalized corruption at its apex.

As a result, KQ is not only in need of about 100 billion to pull off a complete turnaround, but also a strict and innovative management structure led by a dynamic leader to compete in today’s competitive aviation industry worldwide.

A man widely referred to as an ‘aggressive driver’, team leader extra-ordinaire and a customer care enthusiast in business circles, Michael Joseph, was appointed the company’s chairman to the Board of Directors for his past contribution in withstanding fierce competition to increase the access to mobile telephone services in Kenya through: initiation of a customer-centric service delivery, product innovation, improving lives and the country’s economy through its products such as the mobile money transfer platform, “M-pesa”.

Safaricom’s success has numerous factors behind it - but it can all be justly summed up as, it’s former C.E.O. Therefore, with Michael Joseph in the airline’s driving seat, I’m certain of seeing KQ finally ‘out of the hangar’!

Michael Joseph picked a stagnant and lazily run department in the then dying parastatal, Telkom Kenya, and made it one of the most successful companies in East Africa. Long after he left, Safaricom has maintained the culture through its acumen, and constant mind blowing innovations, hence making full year profits since the year 2000.

Michael Joseph has inherited an insurmountable task from his predecessor Ambassador Dennis Awori, restoring investor and customer confidence in a brand they once took so much pride in, a feeling that has been waning at an alarming rate.

He managed to grow and keep Vodafone as the foreign investor for Safaricom, and oversaw the company’s successful Initial Public Offer (IPO), a good sign that he had grown the business credibility; according to the Communication Authority’s statistics report 2015/2016.

Similarly, Michael Joseph is expected to help Kenya airways’ board find a way of withstanding competition.

In resuscitating the sleeping giant KQ, both the customer concerns on the affordability of KQ services has to be considered, just like Safaricom walked into a market hungry for mobile services connectivity but lacked a cheaper services provider to offer an alternative from the then monopoly Kencell.

“You must have read articles in the press insinuating that I am a driver and an aggressive person. But to tell you the truth, my character is very much suited to building things.” once said Michael Joseph in an interview. The above points at a new dawn for the moribund airline.

Michael Joseph also revealed his first priority as being to restructure the company’s financing, and once it is done, they could start thinking about a strategic investor other than the current.

In a quick decision to regain its stability, the company officially revealed a plan to sell some of its assets to raise the amount to keep it afloat, as it seeks new ways to keep both its customers and most importantly its investors’ faith. The airline’s largest shareholders are the Government of Kenya, which owns 29.8% and Air France KLM, which has 27%.

In one of most recent cases of financial restructuring, the airline has tried to sell seven of its planes and give up its landing spot at London’s Heathrow airport - both attempts failed to raise enough money.

KQ has been affected over the past four years by the fluctuating fuel prices, reduced influx of tourists to the East African coastlines over terrorism fears and competition from cheaper regional rivals like Ethiopian airlines and Middle Eastern airlines.

However, Michael Joseph’s appointment to the Board of Directors assured of some considerable amount of hope; the man’s unrivalled ability to successfully lead the most profitable company in East Africa for 10 years, and leaving it in an even better state, makes him the bearer of that torch inside the tunnel in which Kenya airways finds itself today; during his ten years as the Safaricom C.E.O., he steered the company’s subscriber base from 18,000 to over 17 Million subscribers at his retirement, as well as spearheading the launch of M-pesa and its successful operation up to date.

Michael has extensive international corporate experience, and is currently employed by the UK-based Vodafone Group Services Limited as their Director of Mobile Money.

But what are the expectations of the employees, pilots and the technicians who went on a go-slow this morning? Isn't Michael a great deal already? The storm before the calm. Yes? Michael will get KQ out of the hangar.